Miller roll cab - looking for info

[shanny19]

Working on a new project, it's a roll cab well worth restoring. Somebody welded a slab of diamond plate on the top, but I've already got that cut off and some butcher block on the way.

It's a rebadged unit, and I've never heard of either party. It has a stamped logo "Advertising Metal Display Co Chicago, USA". Riveted over that, not really in any sort of attempt to hide it, is the Miller logo pictured below.

Any of you guys know anything about either outfit?? Thanks

Also check out this unusual feature, new to me anyway. The bottom drawer has a hole in the back, which lines up with the single bulb fixture!!!! That's going away, jolt by toolbox just doesn't sound fun.

 

[FJ 432]

You have a Craftsman box that someone has re badged. More photos please.

 

[454ragtop]

Miller was, maybe still is, the outfit that made special factory service tools for Chrysler, like Kent Moore does for GM.
Jim

 

[jakemac]

The Advertising Metal Display Co was one of the makers of Craftsman's toolboxes before Waterloo took over the contract. These were the boxes from the 50's and 60's, I think. AMD also rebadged for other brands as well.

 

[shanny19]

Thanks guys, here's a picture of the backside of the badge and of the whole thing, before this afternoon's top-ectomy.

I'd love to hear any other SWAG's as to vintage.

 

[zkling]

You have a Craftsman box that someone has re badged. More photos please.

And a pathetic job at that.

 

[shanny19]

So you guys think Joe Blow put the Miller badge on there, as opposed to Miller putting the Miller badge on there??

 

[jakemac]

Wow, that AMD stamp looks like it was for Cman's Heritage logo from the 50's. This box must have been in a Cman run, but was diverted to Miller to fill out an order. This makes the box even more special.

So you guys think Joe Blow put the Miller badge on there, as opposed to Miller putting the Miller badge on there??

OK, that's another possibility.

 

[drivesitfar]

Shanny: you box does look like a Craftsman bottom roller with their Heritage badge missing. I've never seen those words stamped in the missing logo's spot though so you might have a factory re badged tool box. hard to say and i'll watch to see what others have to say or know.

are you planning on putting casters back on it or inserting the box into a bench you might be building or have already built?

good luck

 

[justanengineer]

My guess would be a local mechanic took the badge off something else and stuck it on his box. Maybe he worked in an all SO shop?

 

[bluebolt]

Shanny: you box does look like a Craftsman bottom roller with their Heritage badge missing. I've never seen those words stamped in the missing logo's spot though so you might have a factory re badged tool box. hard to say and i'll watch to see what others have to say or know.

are you planning on putting casters back on it or inserting the box into a bench you might be building or have already built?

good luck

The Advertising Metal Display is exactly what I have stamped in my Craftsman top box I just picked up. Mine also has 57 which I believe is the year, 1957.

The Miller Badge goes EXACTLY in the Craftsman badge holes so it is quite possible it was originally made for Miller.

 

[zkling]

The Advertising Metal Display is exactly what I have stamped in my Craftsman top box I just picked up. Mine also has 57 which I believe is the year, 1957.

The Miller Badge goes EXACTLY in the Craftsman badge holes so it is quite possible it was originally made for Miller.

I highly doubt that box was specifically made for miller and yet they left the specific oval craftsman embossing stamp on it.

 

[shanny19]

are you planning on putting casters back on it or inserting the box into a bench you might be building or have already built?
good luck

It's going to get casters, sheet metal work & paint, and a butcher block top.

Thanks everyone for the input as to provenance.....

An old timer told me today that the whole light-bulb in the bottom drawer thing had nothing to do with visibility, it's all about a poor-man's rod oven, and that some boxes were marketed as such. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Bill Ramsey]

I have a hard time with AMD making this box for Miller. If they made a production run for Miller, they could have just made that drawer front with no stamping, or a rectangular stamping to accept the Miller badge. That would just be poor workmanship to have attached that Miller badge over the Craftsman stamping. Chances are greater that a Craftsman badge was removed and a Miller badge added at some later time, for any one of a dozen reasons that made sense to the owner at that time. Just my 2 cents.

 

[shanny19]

My guess would be a local mechanic took the badge off something else and stuck it on his box.

I highly doubt that box was specifically made for miller and yet they left the specific oval craftsman embossing stamp on it.

I have a hard time with AMD making this box for Miller.

Well shoot. I really do like the look of the Miller logo. But for the obvious question, anybody have a lead on repro Craftsman heritage badges????

 

[454ragtop]

Well, I'm going to go out on a limb and say I think it may be an OEM Miller cabinet. If it was just some random prior owner switching badges I would expect to see holes drilled, pretty amazing if the Miller and Craftsman badges used the same hole spacing.
Jim

 

[bluebolt]

Well, I'm going to go out on a limb and say I think it may be an OEM Miller cabinet. If it was just some random prior owner switching badges I would expect to see holes drilled, pretty amazing if the Miller and Craftsman badges used the same hole spacing.
Jim

I agree. Perhaps Miller purchased Craftsman cabinets and then removed the Craftsman badge and put on their own made with the right rivet spacing to go back into the same rivets holes. If so the box may have been filled with special tools for a particular task like automatic transmission building.

Unless someone turns up some 1950's Miller tool catalogs we may never know for sure.

 

[jakemac]

I'm on the fence. I could go either way.
I'm looking at the rivets and can't decide.
On one hand, if an owner put the badge on, they most likely would have used pop rivets, not solid rivets.
On the other hand, if Miller had installed the badge, they likely would have used tubular rivets.

The badge was installed with solid rivets, and the posts were only lightly peened.
Suggesting a DYI job ?
I just don't know.

 

[shanny19]

Unless someone turns up some 1950's Miller tool catalogs we may never know for sure.

I've decided I'm going to keep it as a Miller.
The insides of the top drawer pull rivets are stamped "55".
I found a 1956 Miller catalog, on p.137 is a very close match, the only difference being two pulls per drawer vs. one.

http://www.imperialclub.org/Repair/Lit/1956_Miller_Tool/1956_Miller_Tools.pdf

 

[454ragtop]

That's cool. Just looked at the catalog link, how cool is that under bench mounted parts cleaner right above the cabinet you referenced? Never saw one.
Jim